SOME PEOPLE DAYDREAMING - GOVT PRO

MBABANE - Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo says the Kingdom of Eswatini is not a ‘banana State’ but a solid one, founded on specific values, principles, goals and objectives.

Nxumalo said the kingdom was governed by laws and rules as provided for in the Constitution. He said it was well-known throughout the country as to  who was endowed with the powers and authority to summon and commission a national dialogue. “I can only imagine that some people are daydreaming big to assume that they can convene a dialogue of that magnitude with a hope that its outcomes will be embraced by emaSwati,” said Nxumalo.

Meetings

He added that in any case, the group (Multi-Stakeholders Forum (MSF) had been holding meetings under the banner of Political Party Assembly (PPA) over a stretched passage of time now. “What have been the end results? – zero,” said Nxumalo. He said if any at all, more confusion was added in their fragile and ailing political camp. Nxumalo noted that political parties were not yet sanctioned by any law in the land to operate. He said the freedom to meet they currently enjoyed was by default in all probabilities. He further warned that government must not be provoked to the point of taking drastic actions to maintain peace and order in the country.

Nxumalo told the Sunday Times that security challenges had forestalled the envisaged national dialogue, which was to serve as a forum to help find solutions to any political challenges which emaSwati could have prevented through dialogue. He was responding to information that two formations wanted to host a ‘people’s dialogue’ and a ‘national dialogue’. The Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF), in collaboration with the Swaziland Unemployed People’s Movement (SUPMO), have scheduled to host their own ‘people’s dialogue’ at Bosco Skills Centre on Thursday. It was announced that this dialogue would look at addressing the political way forward and the huge unemployment rate in the country.

The event has been themed ‘the people’s dialogue for the people’s government.’ SUDF President Lucky Dlamini confirmed the upcoming event. He stated that today they would convene a press conference to outline the topics to be discussed during the dialogue. He stated that as SUDF and SUPMO, they were concerned about the situation in the country hence there was a need to come together and talk about a way forward. He said there was a need to talk on peaceful means into resolving the political turmoil engulfing the country.

Meanwhile, the MSF announced that on Friday it would host its ‘national dialogue’. Thulani Maseko, Chairperson of the MSF, told our sister publication, the Times Sunday, that it was high time for the community dialogues to begin. Maseko said the traditional activities proved that the climate was now conducive for the dialogue to be held and, therefore, MSF was going ahead with planning and preparations. Maseko told the Times SUNDAY that they were not going to wait for His Majesty King Mswati III and the government to announce the dialogue. “We will continue our programme on community dialogues. We will not allow traditional ceremonies to derail our plans,” said Maseko. When contacted yesterday to speak on the plans, he insisted that they would announce in due course.

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